A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the arrest of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu.
The order was given following Yakubu’s failure to appear in court over a case of contempt filed by Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, chairman and legal adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, respectively.
Justice Stephen Pam on Wednesday issued the warrant of arrest after Mahmood was absent from court for the third time.
The judge asked the police to effect the arrest immediately.
The judge had on the 5th of July ordered Yakubu to appear before him to show cause why he should not be sent to prison for disobeying the court.
The judge made the order for the INEC boss to appear before him while ruling on a preliminary objection by INEC and its chairman in a contempt proceeding filed by Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, Chairman and Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, respectively.
On July 10 when the court sat again, INEC boss failed to appear before the court.
His counsel, Mr. Adeboyega Awomolo, informed the court that his client had filed an appeal challenging that order at the appeal court and another appeal before the Federal High Court asking for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the appeal.
But counsel to the plaintiff informed the court that contrary to the claims of the INEC counsel there was no material evidence before the court to stop the order of the court or the hearing.
In his ruling (on July 10), Justice Pam held that the fiat by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to hear the matter subsisted.
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However, the case was adjourned to August 1 to allow the INEC chairman attend to his mother’s funeral but insisted that the INEC boss must appear before the court as ordered at the next sitting.
Despites disobeying court orders in the past, the INEC chairman was absent today.
That prompted the Justice Stephen Pam to order his immediate arrest.
As at the time of filing this report, INEC chairman has not been arrested.
